GRANTEE SPOTLIGHTS
The Maplewood Foundation is committed to enhancing the quality of life for all community residents through strategic grant-making that supports local nonprofits in their vital work.
Read more about the grantees below.
2025 GRANTEES
Through their innovative programs and unwavering dedication, these organizations exemplify the spirit of collaboration and community that The Maplewood Foundation strives to nurture.
Rent Party Pantry
With a $5,000 Program Grant, Rent Party Pantry’s BackPack Pals program, which provides weekend meals to students experiencing food insecurity in the South Orange Maplewood School District (SOMSD), was able to fund a year of emergency food relief for 14 additional children, helping to ensure they had access to nutritious meals when school was not in session. Funds were used to purchase shelf-stable, easy-to-prepare meals, snacks, and drinks. Volunteers pack these meals for children, and every Friday, social workers discreetly place them in backpacks. BackPack Pals is dedicated to fighting food insecurity in the SOMSD and serves over 160 students.
Together We Bloom
Together We Bloom was awarded a $10,000 Program Grant to support “A Blueprint for Belonging”, an initiative that ensures and expands accessibility at MAPSO events as well as community spaces. Funding supported accessibility roundtables and “Sensory Accessibility Kits” with ear defenders, doodle boards and sensory tools for individuals to manage sensory input and to self-regulate. A sensory education video will feature interviews with local disability self- and parent advocates to inform our community on sensory differences and the importance of considering sensory accessibility at events. Together We Bloom supports children with disabilities and their families by prioritizing belonging and equity for community members with disabilities.
Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association
The Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association received a $5,000 Program Grant to support Maplewood’s annual Juneteenth Celebration, presented in partnership with SOMA Community Coalition on Race. This eighth annual event brought the community together through historical reenactments, exhibits, music, and children’s activities that honor Black heritage and celebrate the holiday of Juneteenth. The grant covered performers, historical reenactors, children’s programming, equipment rentals and event preparation. The Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association preserves the historic property while creating programs that connect residents with history and heritage.
Clinton School PTA
The Clinton Elementary School PTA received a $2,900 Program Grant to launch a composting pilot with Java’s Compost, a Black-and-woman-owned business. The grant supported program setup materials necessary to the composting process and weekly compost pickup services. Java’s Compost presented at a student assembly where third graders learned how to properly divert cafeteria food waste to create compost to improve the school’s gardens, teaching them valuable sustainability practices. The Clinton School PTA supports students, families, and school staff by advocating for students and providing programs to ensure every child meets their full potential.
Family Connections
Family Connections expanded “The Next Step” initiative, thanks to a $15,000 Program Grant. The program is part of PRIDE+, which provides safe, affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, offering mentorship, peer support, and advocacy for inclusion. In summer 2026, The Next Step program reached 50 rising 9th graders as they prepared to enter Columbia High School. The program provided transitional support and connected these students to The Loft at Columbia High School. Orientations and social-emotional learning opportunities were also provided to more than 200 incoming freshmen, helping students build connections and make the transition to high school. Family Connections supports families through counseling, skills-building, prevention, and youth development programs.
Girls on the Run NJ East
With a $1,500 Program Grant, Girls on the Run NJ East (GOTR) provided athletic scholarships for Maplewood and South Orange area girls participating in its after-school program. Funds supported personnel, program supplies and equipment, and staff training, removing financial barriers so more girls could participate. Through an eight-week curriculum focused on physical activity and social-emotional learning, GOTR inspires girls to be healthy, joyful and confident while equipping them with lifelong skills.
Columbia High School Scholarship Fund
The Columbia High School Scholarship Fund (CHSSF) was awarded a $20,000 Program Grant to create The Maplewood Foundation Scholarship. The inaugural scholarship was awarded on June 11, 2026 and will be given annually in perpetuity. Given that student loan debt for post-secondary education is now a major consideration for today's students, a scholarship that reduces that debt can be a powerful, life-changing, and family-changing leg up for members of our community. CHSSF provides need-based scholarships to Columbia High School graduates pursuing higher education, vocational programs, certificate and professional licensing programs.
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC)
With a $10,000 Program Grant, SOPAC’s Art Education Program is expanding access to arts education opportunities for SOMA students amid district budget cuts. In the spring of 2026, $3,000 of The Maplewood Foundation’s support funded SOPAC’s CHS Jazz Ensemble residency, including artist fees and production costs. With performances, residencies, and exhibitions, SOPAC’s Arts Education Program encourages students to engage in music, dance, and visual arts that foster creativity, confidence and cultural appreciation. SOPAC serves over 9,000 students and schools through various methods with the intention of cultivating a long-lasting passion for the arts.
SOMA BuildHers
With a $3,500 Seed Grant, SOMA BuildHers purchased tools for community "Build Days," empowering women and girls to develop leadership skills through impactful carpentry projects. These included partnering with Creative In Common (CINC) to teach wall framing to students and with the Achieve Foundation for Maker Madness. SOMA BuildHers crafted chests for Isaiah House’s transitioning families at Maker Madness, built birdhouses with local Girl Scouts at CINC, and reconstructed Delia Bolden Elementary's garden beds alongside the school’s PTA and students. As a female-founded nonprofit, SOMA BuildHers champions the personal growth of women and girls by bridging practical skill development with lifelong self-assurance.
SOMA Tool Share
SOMA Tool Share received a $5,000 Seed Grant to help launch a community tool library, providing affordable access to shared resources and promoting sustainability in our community. The Grant funded program operations, tools and workshop supplies. The tool library enables residents to borrow equipment, learn practical skills from local experts, and connect with community members through hands-on projects. SOMA Tool Share promotes resource sharing and community connection by making tools and learning accessible to all.
The South Mountain YMCA
The South Mountain YMCA (part of the Metro YMCA) received a $5,000 Program Grant to expand its Performing Arts Program by hiring additional staff to provide individualized support for participants experiencing mental and behavioral challenges. The grant also funded the launch of Magic Makers Theatre, an adaptive program for children and young adults of all abilities. Funds supported staffing, sensory equipment and accommodations that enabled inclusive participation, as well as expanded accessibility for the group’s production of Newsies. The Performing Arts Program offers year-round classes and camps that foster learning, creativity, and community in an inclusive environment.
Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND)
Meeting Essential Needs with Dignity (MEND) received a $10,000 Emergency Relief Grant to address rising food insecurity in our community due to the federal pause of SNAP benefits. Given outside of the annual cycle, the grant funded 200 $25 ShopRite gift cards for distribution through St. Joe’s food pantry and an expanded purchase of fresh produce for Our Lady of Sorrows food pantry. Together, these two client-choice model food pantries serve over 2,000 individuals each month. MEND is a hunger relief network in Essex County that works to increase access to nutritious food and improve the overall health of the community.
2024 GRANTEES
The South Orange Rescue Squad
The South Orange Rescue Squad (SORS) received a second Program Grant of $10,000 to purchase a Computer-Aided Dispatch system, allowing its 70 all-volunteer members to respond to more calls and expand their service. The system enables the organization to monitor crew status, access additional call information and triage pending calls, which means it can now effectively respond to multiple calls sent by its dispatch provider. Access to detailed and accurate information is critical to responding to emergencies and saving our community members’ lives.
Rent Party Pantry’s BackPack Pals
Rent Party Pantry’s BackPack Pals program, supported by a $5,000 Program Grant, provides a weekend’s worth of food to children in our district each week during the school year. Our grant funded a 15% expansion of this program, which served 150 children facing food insecurity in the spring of 2025. Each Friday, volunteers place packages of food discreetly in the students’ backpacks. Many of the children rely heavily on meals provided during the school week through free/assisted breakfast/lunch programs. BackPack Pals helps fill this nutritional gap by providing healthy food for the weekend, allowing them to return to school ready to learn.
Lydia Johnson Dance
Lydia Johnson Dance was awarded a $3,000 Program Grant for its Student Company Expand, Reach and Advance Program, where students study ballet and contemporary/modern dance, while also learning to choreograph their own pieces. The grant allowed the studio to bring in several professional guest artists to lead workshops in contemporary, jazz and modern dance, which will culminate in a public performance of student-created choreography. Lydia Johnson Dance aims to instill a love of dance in the community by sharing the art of dance, educating the public in the process of choreography and celebrating its students’ creativity, self-expression and joy.
Maplewood Community Music
With a $6,324 Program Grant, Maplewood Community Music (MCM) was able to invest in essential resources that expand its ability to bring live music to the community and support local musicians. The grant has already helped fund the purchase of a timpani and new uniforms for Swing Town, the organization’s jazz ensemble. It will also support the purchase of music, educational outreach for SOMA youth, guest musician stipends and dedicated equipment storage. By removing financial barriers to equipment and promoting inclusive, intergenerational music-making, Maplewood Community Music allows its musicians to perform, educate, and inspire our community.
CHS Ultimate Frisbee, Inc.
Supported by a $5,000 Program Grant, CHS Ultimate Frisbee provides scholarships for student athletes facing financial hardship. Our grant is providing eight full and two partial scholarships across the Spring and Fall 2025 seasons, ensuring equitable access to this competitive and historically significant sport that fosters inclusion, leadership and skill development. The grant also supports the growth of CHS Ultimate’s middle school gxrls’ and non-binary program. With over 150 local youth served annually, CHS Ultimate continues to empower players on and off the field, preserving Columbia High School’s legacy as the birthplace of Ultimate Frisbee.
Springfield Avenue Partnership
The Springfield Avenue Partnership (SAP) received a $5,000 Program Grant to improve outreach to Springfield Avenue’s diverse business community with handouts, design guidelines and vital merchant documents in multiple languages. This initiative ensures materials are accessible to business owners and employees who speak languages other than English, including Spanish and Haitian Creole. It directly addresses language barriers that can prevent small businesses from fully engaging with available support and district programs, creating a more inclusive and equitable business environment that reflects and supports the cultural diversity of Maplewood’s Springfield Avenue.
The South Orange-Maplewood Adult School
The South Orange-Maplewood Adult School, awarded a $10,000 Program Grant, completed its first-ever author talk series, “In, About, Around…Essex County,” The pilot program featured authors with ties to Essex County through their work or personal histories, spotlighting local voices, events, and cultural figures as well as community activism in Orange and civil rights leadership across New Jersey. Talks were held at The Woodland in the spring of 2025 and included both in-person and virtual events. This eight-part series prioritized accessibility with low ticket prices and targeted outreach, and exemplifies SOMAS’s 90-year mission to inspire and connect the Maplewood community through innovative and equitable education.
The Arc of Essex County
The Arc of Essex County received a $5,876 Program Grant to enhance its Opportunity Zone Day program in Maplewood with a new Obie sensory interactive system and table. This innovative technology encourages social engagement, cognitive stimulation and physical activity through interactive games projected onto flat surfaces, making it accessible for participants with varying mobility levels. Approximately 150 children and adults now benefit from this engaging equipment weekly. The system has already fostered increased social interaction, teamwork and learning among participants. The Arc promotes inclusion and enrichment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and for their caregiving families, bringing creativity, connection, and joy to those they serve.
New Jersey Fencing Alliance
New Jersey Fencing Alliance (NJFA) was awarded a $5,000 Program Grant to expand access to private fencing lessons for student athletes who would otherwise be unable to afford them. Through this grant, NJFA has already delivered 64 free private lessons led by coach Frank Mustilli, whose training has produced local, state and even Olympic champions over the club’s 27-year history. These additional lessons help ensure Maplewood and South Orange students remain competitive at all levels while building confidence and discipline. The organization will continue to offer lessons throughout the grant period, supporting NJFA’s mission to remove financial barriers to participation and open doors to athletic and academic opportunity.
YouthNet
YouthNet received a $14,800 Program Grant from The Maplewood Foundation to launch a school-based mental health initiative within its expansive middle school after-school club network. With these funds, YouthNet successfully trained South Orange–Maplewood School District staff to serve as certified facilitators of an evidence-based prevention program. These facilitators are now incorporating brief, personality-focused workshops into clubs across both Maplewood and South Orange Middle Schools. The initiative equips students with critical self-reflection tools and cognitive behavioral strategies to cope with academic stress, peer pressure and identity development. Through this new program, YouthNet has taken a significant step in addressing adolescent mental health and expanding inclusive, supportive programming for the more than 1,000 students it serves each year.
2023 GRANTEES
Beloved Bath
Beloved Bath, a social enterprise, received a $5,000 Program Grant to improve the lives of adults with autism through meaningful employment opportunities. Its employees gain job skills, pride, and independence by creating high-quality bath products, fostering a community where everyone’s abilities are celebrated. The grant supported the development of employment and social skills, empowering individuals with autism to lead fulfilling, independent lives. The organization’s impact is evident in the joy and fulfillment it brings to its employees, making a significant difference in their lives and the broader autism community.
Family Connections
Family Connections’ Pride+ program, supported by a $10,000 Program Grant, is a lifeline for LGBTQIA+ youth and their families across Essex County. This grant enabled Pride+ to offer a safe and affirming space for middle and high-school-aged youth, empowering them to navigate their identities with confidence. By providing both clinical and non-clinical services, Pride+ supports families in creating inclusive environments and fosters understanding and acceptance through Genders & Sexualities Alliances (GSAs) in schools, positively transforming the lives of countless students.
Maplewood Village Alliance
The Maplewood Village Alliance received a $10,000 Program Grant to assist with the beautification of Baker Square, transforming the corner of Maplewood Avenue and Baker Street into a vibrant community hub. The grant, combined with $20,000 in direct donations, funded ADA-compliant brick pavers, new seating, and sustainable plantings, creating a welcoming gathering space for residents and visitors. This project, now a central spot for public events and informal meet-ups, enhances the social fabric of Maplewood, fostering community connections for all ages.
South Orange | Maplewood Community Coalition on Race
The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race, bolstered by a $7,000 Program Grant, is a pioneering force for racial integration and equity. In 2024, the Coalition used our grant to develop and deliver impactful anti-bias and anti-racism training to local organizations, including the Maplewood Police Department and the SOMA Adult School. These trainings, now available to the community, focused on understanding unconscious bias, evolving language of inclusion, and strategies for working on biases that may interfere with organizational outcomes, ensuring racial justice remains central in the community’s evolution.
South Mountain YMCA
The South Mountain YMCA’s Environmental Education Pilot at Seth Boyden School, funded by a $5,000 Program Grant, is inspiring a new generation of environmental stewards. This innovative after-school program taught children the tangible impact their daily actions have on the environment. Through engaging, hands-on activities, 60 students from grades kindergarten through fifth learned how to protect the planet and develop a lifelong commitment to sustainability. The program not only enriches their education but also empowers them to make a difference in their communities and beyond.
South Orange Rescue Squad
The South Orange Rescue Squad (SORS), which also serves Maplewood, received an $8,000 Program Grant to activate its water rescue team, significantly enhancing its ability to respond to flood emergencies. The grant funded essential personal protective equipment, allowing the all-volunteer squad to safely conduct rescues in hazardous floodwaters, a growing threat due to climate change. SORS’s dedication and readiness exemplify the best of community service, saving lives and fostering resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
Together We Bloom
Together We Bloom, awarded a $5,000 Seed Grant, is jumpstarting its disability justice, equity, and belonging initiatives to increase inclusion and accessibility for neurodivergent and disabled community members and their families. The grant enabled the creation of sensory-friendly areas used by hundreds of attendees at North Jersey Pride and Maplewoodstock along with other inclusion features. Additionally, the organization used the grant to host a panel discussion with local disability self-advocates and parent advocates in partnership with the SOMA Peer Support and Action Network, furthering its mission of fostering a more inclusive community.
ANNUAL REPORT
Together, we made a big impact in our second year. Explore our 2024 annual report, “Our Foundation, Firmly Planted,” to see your support in action.
